BSE Global and AEG Facilities have named Matt Felker as the new general manager of Barclay's Center, Brooklyn, and Joe Zino as the general manager of NYCB Live. (Photos courtesy: BSE)
BSE Global and AEG Facilities have selected Matt Felker and Joe Zino as the new general managers of Barclays Center, Brooklyn, and NYCB Live: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, respectively.
The announcement comes on the heels of the coming departure of Regional General Manager Steve Rosebrook, who will be overseeing the transition for AEG Facilities.
Felker now serves as general manager of NYCB Live, where Zino is the assistant general manager.
Felker was a key member of the operations team that opened Barclays Center in 2012 and was promoted a number of times, eventually to the role of assistant general manager. In 2016, he transitioned to his current role on Long Island. Before his time with BSE, Felker worked at XL Center in Hartford, Conn., and Toyota Center in Houston.
Zino has been with NYCB Live since 2008, when he was hired as an operations manager. During its renovation he served as a director of event services at Barclays Center.
VenuesNow contacted the new hires for a short Q&A. Both officially assume their new roles Oct. 1.
Matt Felker
Q&A with Matt Felker
What are your goals when you take over as GM? What do you bring to the venue? Any ideas you already have for revenue generation or cost reduction?
The most important thing for me going into my new role is to reconnect with the staff at Barclays Center. Our staff is our most important asset and I look forward to spending time with the people who make Barclays Center such an incredible sports and entertainment venue, as well as an amazing place to work. I’m eager to sit down with them to hear their thoughts, opinions and ideas for the future.
Another major focus of mine is ensuring the safety and security of our fans and staff. We have an extremely talented group responsible for the security at Barclays Center and I’m really looking forward to working alongside them to ensure they have all the necessary resources and support they need.
Barclays Center has made a name for itself across the industry for offering best-in-class entertainment and hospitality experiences, and our relationship with Disney Institute is key to maintaining that high standard. I look forward to working closely with Disney to maintain, and continue to improve, our current guest services offerings.
I have 25 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry, and I helped open Barclays Center in 2012. I’m familiar with how the venue operates, and I know a majority of the existing staff whom I hired or worked alongside while I was there. I’m eager to collaborate with everyone across all platforms to help support each event that comes through our doors. Whether it’s Brooklyn Boxing, a basketball game, a concert or family event, I know what it takes to successfully host world-class entertainment night after night, and I look forward to jumping right back in at Barclays Center.
Why do think you and BSE are such a great fit? Anyone in particular you are looking forward to working with?
From joining the team in 2012 before Barclays Center opened, and being part of that team that made history, to being promoted to assistant general manager at Barclays Center, and then general manager at NYCB Live, I continue to be very humbled by, and thankful for, the opportunities that have been given to me through BSE Global.
BSE and I share the same priorities: hosting amazing events and operating our venues with very high standards. We’ve had such an incredible ongoing run, and we continue to complement one another. I understand what Brett (Yormark)’s expectations are. He often says, “I’m happy but not satisfied,” which resonates with me — I feel I live that motto in my career, too.
I’m really looking forward to collaborating with everyone across the board — the staff at BSE Global, the teams at Barclays Center whether it be guest services, operations or security, in order to execute the fast-paced, high-expectations event schedule that is maintained in Brooklyn.
Joe Zino
Q&A with Joe Zino
What are your goals when you take over as GM? What do you bring to the venue? Any ideas you already have for revenue generation or cost reduction?
My number one goal is to ensure every guest has a memorable experience regardless of the event they are attending at NYCB Live. I want each guest to truly enjoy their experience whether they’re here for a concert, basketball game, hockey game, trade show or any other event.
Not only do I want each guest to have a great experience, but I also want the same for every event or artist we host. Every artist, manager, promoter and athlete should leave NYCB Live believing it was the best event they’ve ever been a part of, and genuinely want to come back.
This all starts with me and my staff. We’ll work together to ensure everyone, whether guest or performer, has an incredible experience, and I’ll lead by example and give it my all every day.
Another goal of mine is to ensure all staff working at NYCB Live enjoy coming to work each day. I plan to put in a lot of energy and passion not just into the day-to-day at the venue, but into our employee culture as well.
Without our guests, event partners and staff, NYCB Live wouldn’t be the venue that we know and love. It certainly wouldn’t have had as much success as it has in its first year, leading to it being ranked the number one venue in the country in its category.
I’m a true Long Islander — I have lived minutes away from NYCB Live my entire life. I worked at the coliseum prior to its renovation and being able to see it through the transition into the state-of-the-art venue it is today has been very special.
Why do think you and BSE are such a great fit? Anyone in particular you are looking forward to working with?
BSE and I share the same vision. BSE is about delivering dynamic content and experiences for audiences, and I want every event to be the best experience for our “audience” at NYCB Live. This all starts at the top with BSE Global’s CEO, Brett Yormark. Brett expects the best for every guest and so do I.
I look forward to collaborating with the various departments within BSE Global in different ways. Each department has specific goals and visions for NYCB Live, and I want to help ensure those visions become reality.
I am a big believer in communication, and I want to establish an open line of communication with everyone to share ideas. We are all part of the same team share the same goals of delivering Long Island the world class entertainment destination it deserves.